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Business insurance, what are the options?

Paul Kelly ICHYB
For us business people, I would recommend always speaking to a broker (like Frank).

Yesterday I had a meeting with someone running a new security personnel agency. He said he had insurance and proudly told me he was paying £11 a month for it. My PI is more than that (and I do not have employees). I also knew an electrician who went online for cover, quoting a great price, £20 less than a via a broker. All friends, when the broker reviewed this specialist policy for electricians, he pointed out that the cover didn't work if using ladders over 4' long - a lot of this guys work was outdoors, up ladders..
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How long does a (successful) press release take to start appearing as articles?

itsnathanhere
FreddyG said:
OK, here's the skinny! I used to run a news agency and one of our (many) sidelines was to do PR for companies.

An app is of zero interest! The moment a sub-editor sees the word "app", your PR piece goes straight into File Thirteen! It is one of those non-stories that we used to call "Sony looks to the future!"

Your PR piece has to have a hook. A reason for the paper, mag, website, whatever, to run the story. "Oh look! Yet another boring app!" - that is a turkey that no editor will run!

There has to be something sexy about your app - and don't call it an app! The story must have a human interest and be completely app-free in the headline and the first paragraph. Sex, drugs, corruption, naked women, dogs that can play Bach. Anything will do - and the app can be mentioned further down within the story.

I'll give you an example - A theatre in Scunthorpe buys a piano. NOT a story!

A theatre in Scunthorpe buys Andre Previn's piano. That's a story. Admittedly, not much of a story, but it got into the local rag with a full page. Celebs always help to sell any story!

A German professional theatre group started workshops. That was NOT a story. But they desperately needed publicity!

We did a whole work-over on that one! We called it a comedy school instead and the headline was "Ve have vays of making you laugh!" with the by-line "Germans get crash course in humour!"

That was even run by the News of the World.

(I must point out at this stage that I am German - and we love to make fun of ourselves. And the theatre group was immensely pleased with all the publicity they got - it even ran on TV and made the pages of Bild Zeitung!)

Now, do you get the idea?
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This is massively helpful! Thank you
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SnapChat Marketing

C
I tried advertising for my services but I ended up spending loads of money for it to achieve zero results. Also I think there is a particular market on SnapChat, so it depends what your target market is? I think these days adverts are used everywhere online that they don't get much ROI because people are so programmed to ignore them. But that's just my experience.
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Short survey of UK SMEs: Funding Access & Data Sharing:

R
Hi, We’re building a new free service to help UK SMEs better understand how lenders view their business, improve their chances of accessing finance, and make safer decisions when trading with other companies. Many SMEs face challenges such as being declined for funding without a clear explanation, managing cashflow uncertainty, and dealing with late-paying customers.

To better understand the challenges you face, we've create a short survey and we would love it if you would tell us your views on this important topic. It takes around 3 minutes and is aimed at directors and senior decision-makers of UK SME limited companies. you can find the link
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Mobile pin unblocking software

Nico Albrecht
To be clear, “Android” on its own doesn’t mean anything. The exact phone model matters, and modern Android security is very strong—in many cases stronger than iOS.


If you’re dealing with a flagship Android phone from the last 1–4 years, passcode bypass is not realistic for consumers. Google and Samsung have tightened security significantly. Devices now rely on secure enclaves / security chips, and once tampering is detected, the phone will lock or wipe, not open.


There are solutions on the market, but:

  • They are offered by only a couple of specialist companies
  • They do not work with the public
  • Access is restricted to law enforcement or certified forensic labs
  • Costs typically range from $5,000 to $15,000, and in some cases up to $30,000
  • Success depends on conditions like hot vs cold boot state

Brute-force attacks are no longer an option on modern Android or iOS. That approach only applies to very old devices or low-end phones with exploitable chipsets (e.g. some older MediaTek models). Current Samsung, Google, and iPhone devices are locked down by design—as they should be, considering they hold banking apps, personal data, and identity information.

If these protections were easy to bypass, mobile security would be meaningless.

So realistically:
If you’re not prepared (or even eligible) to spend five figures through certified forensic channels, the correct decision is to close the case and move on.


This isn’t theory—we deal with this regularly in forensic and defence-solicitor cases, so we know exactly what is and isn’t possible today.
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Companies House Fee increase - scandalous!

Daybooks
They need the money to pay for a new system and architecture to pay for the cost of the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act. However that urgent need to make micro and small companies file their profit and loss account obviously isn’t so urgent as its planned April 2027 implementation date is pushed back to who knows when - at least on a rolling twenty-one month notice.


The term ‘five year olds’ springs to mind. Apologies to them.
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Banning knife imports from Japan -> UK?

Tornado220
welcomebrand said:
I just had a message from a supplier in Japan that FedEx returned one of our shipments (Japanese chef knives) and that FedEx told them that effective July they are stopping the import and export of all knives through Europe.

It's not something I was aware of and best I can tell there's no legislation reason for it but wondered if anyone in logistics/shipping is aware of this and potentially how we can continue to reliably import from Japan? DHL already stopped import of blades over 200mm back in March and it seems like one of those things where it's a matter of time before others also stop it but given kitchen knives in general are a fairly significant and useful household item stocked by thousands of retailers I'm trying to figure where to go from here?
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Doesn't surprise me at all, since fedex joined with that useless bunch of clowns at TNT its only gone down hill
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Opening a branch in Pakistan - UK company

Frank the Insurance guy
Newchodge said:
No, it is difficult for locals, there is a lot more bureaucracy involved than in the UK. This is advice generated by AI "Becoming an autónomo in Spain requires significant research and financial planning; professional guidance from a gestor is crucial for navigating the complex system and ensuring compliance".
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Fair enough - thanks @Newchodge
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Legal action against my business : Intellectual Property Design breach

MikeJ
WaveJumper said:
Yep probably 100% this they copy everything from iPhones to handbags, even outboard motors which when people order these supposedly "cheap" branded engines they come with a misspelt name stuck on the cowling.
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Can you still get a "myphone"? They were around about 15 years ago in Dubai.

Edit - yep, big in the Philippines apparently...

MyPhone - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org en.wikipedia.org
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Trade Mark licensing?

Lucan Unlordly
Lucan Unlordly said:
UPDATE:

In my post above I suggested they may revert to another name but they have now launched using our approved wordmark. They have also filed an application for the same in a category that on hindsight I may have added to the list, but that is unlikely to be approved for use in our market, if at all. I have legal representation preparing appropriate opposition and a very strong case.

One benefit of taking proper advice is that we have now identified additional copyright within our offer that they will be compromising if they try to follow our lead. It's my view that it will be impossible for them not to do so.

Watch this space.😠
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Minor update:

For a page that is solely for UK organisations that has been live for around 2 weeks they are now claiming fantastic responses to challenging situations by way of pictorial testimonials allegedly penned by user clubs and individuals but who's clubs are in the US!😂

You couldn't make it up!
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Drone advice

YasmeenLondon
I recommend the Dji Mini 5 Pro with the fly more combo, it's rated as sub 250g (when in reality its actually 251g) and has a great camera and a 1 inch sensor, and the sub 250g rating means you have more flexibility in the city.

I'm also sure you're well aware that you are required by law to have public liability insurance if you use drone for any commercial activity, and there are many specialised drone cover websites, google drone cover and click the first result.

Finally, find a designated drone area and practice to get the hang of flying, a youth spent playing playstation definitely helped me get to grips quickly with flying, but I still needed an hour or two to feel comfortable enough to fly in a professional setting.

Good luck.
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Buying a van for my small business

JEREMY HAWKE
DWS said:
Well the sensible answer is to make money but also not to pay more tax than is necessary!
What’s the point in making money only to have to pay it out needlessly?
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Because the wrong vehicle could seriously impact your business . I have no experience of a manufacturing facility but I guess there is often disagreements between accountants and those with a manufacturing role in the company in a similar way to this thread
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